What Is It Worth?
by The Best of Luck
Summary: Humanity has known the Citadel Alliance for over six decades. After sixty years of isolation and limited contact, the UNSC have decided to open up more. When a joint dig at a Prothean site goes wrong, Commander Shepard will lead a mixed team consisting of the best the galaxy has to offer, regardless of their species, after one of the greatest enemies humanity has ever faced.
1. Chapter 1

" _Humanity will not cower. We will never be the aggressors, but the Council will never be allowed to intimidate us. The Office of Naval Intelligence is humanity's first defense in the everlasting war for our survival."_

-Admiral Serin Osman in a speech to Section Zero of ONI, taking command of ONI in 2560 after the retirement of Admiral Margaret Parangosky

* * *

Shepard looked at the armor situated in front of him. It was his own, red and black, having been hauled off from Reach on the _Normandy._ _God. It's been so long since I've worn it._

Spending six months preparing for a mission that could make or break the UNSC's image, he hadn't been able to wear his armor. Being a part of an ONI Ferret Team meant that sometimes he couldn't wear his armor and it made him feel rather vulnerable. _That armor saved my ass on Torfan against the batarians. Wonder what's been upgraded or changed about it._

His arrival in the _Normandy's_ cargo bay didn't go unnoticed for long. The technician, a man by the name of Corporal Jenkins, was standing in front of the armor, going over the greaves with some sort of oil. He turned and wiped his hands on a rag before facing Shepard and he instantly saluted, which Shepard returned.

"Ah Commander Shepard! Welcome to the cargo bay!" the fresh faced technician said. "I'm Corporal Jenkins and I'm the head technician here. I help maintain the Cougar and the Pelican, which your ground team will be using. And I will be help maintaining your armor as well."

Shepard had to smile at Jenkins and his enthusiasm.

"Good to be here Jenkins. Can you give the rundown on the changes in the armor since I've worn it?"

Jenkins nodded, before gesturing Shepard to come closer. He handed Shepard a pad which detailed every single change that had been done to his armor.

"As you know, the Mjolnir armor is state of the art. However, your armor was based on the older Mjolnir Mark V kit doled out to the Spartan IIIs in the mid 2550s, while the Mark VIs and VIIs were given to the Spartan IIs. Since Doctor Halsey made a breakthrough a few years ago, the armor has less bulk and is much more streamline," Jenkins explained. "For example, your old armor was much heavier. A ton to be exact. This one, however, is only around 200 kilograms."

"So what the techs and I did was basically rebuild your armor from scratch. It still has all of your customization work you've done on it, as much as we could replicate, such as the omni-tool. But you will be much stronger in this armor, as it is designed to compensate for Spartan IVs less extensive physical augmentations. However, since your augmentations are roughly on par with Spartan IIs, you are actually _stronger_ than Spartan IVs. In addition, you're much faster than the average Spartan IV as well, due to your augmentations."

Shepard was wowed by that. Years of wearing the Mjolnir Mark V armor made him used to the bulkiness and unwieldiness of it. But if the tech said was true... _this is awesome._

"In addition to a new nuclear batter pack that is three times as efficient as your old one, your armor comes with three built-in upgrades; thrusters, allowing you better maneuverability in space combat and EVA activities, along with active camouflage. The active camouflage lasts for thirty seconds and then it has to recharge. In addition, you can channel your energy shields into a sort of riot shield, allowing you nigh invulnerability in any direction of your choice, as long as you face the guys shooting you."

Shepard whistled. He had heard of how Spartans handled riot control sometimes in the Outer Colonies, which was not something you would have expected Spartans to handle. But this would be good for hostage extraction and rescue. _We can shield them a lot better._

"Everything else is the same pretty much. Biofoam injector, VISR, AI attachment, basically all the same. Just a little tweaks, but you shouldn't be have to worry about it. I'll make sure your armor is up and ready for the mission on Eden Prime!" Jenkins said.

"Thank you Corporal. Keep up the good work," Shepard complemented and Jenkins gave a salute as Shepard departed.

" _Commander Shepard, this is Conrad. Captain Anderson wants to see you,"_ the AI announced and Shepard grimaced a little. It wasn't that he didn't like Anderson. The man was a former Spartan himself, having served as one for about a decade. But then the man became a captain in the UNSC Navy and had little trust for ONI. Though Shepard didn't like ONI either, they gave you a certain degree of freedom. _Osman makes sure her teams are independent,_ Shepard noted.

But ever since Shepard's team (wasn't really a team, only him, EDI, and Alenko) had arrived on the UNSC _Normandy,_ the Prowler-class corvette had an atmosphere of apprehension and fear. The _Normandy_ was one of the few stealth vessels _not_ under ONI control and the arrival of Shepard made them all jumpy. _And they're right to be. ONI does have plans for this vessel. But not in the way they think._

Giving Jenkins a verbal goodbye, he went straight for the main elevator which would take him to the captain's cabin. The _Normandy_ was structured into three decks, the bottom one being engines and cargo, the middle being the main deck, and the third acting as a private cabin for the captain. The elevator went all the way to the third.

Captain Anderson was a very serious and thoughtful man. Having worked for the UNSC Navy for over three decades, he knew Adrian Shepard's father. Adrian's father had served in the UNSC Marine Corps and died when Adrian was only eighteen during what was supposed to be his last tour.

 _Fuck you batarians,_ Shepard thought as the elevator stopped.

"Permission to enter your cabin, sir?" Shepard asked and the captain hummed an affirmative. The doors to the cabin opened, revealing a fish tank and a spacious room. Anderson was hunched over his desk, dressed in a standard captain's outfit, though with armor on. A gray tunic and trousers hugged Anderson, with the insides of both being primarily dark grey. The back of the vest has additional armor plating to protect the spine; an array of blue lights were displayed in these armor sections. The rank of captain, with four downward chevrons, was evident on his sleeves, while a metal pauldron protected his left shoulder.

"Commander," Anderson said simply. "It's almost time."

"Aye sir," Shepard responded. Shepard was dressed in standard UNSC Marine Corp fatigues despite not having served as one for almost a decade. He had been an ODST for three years before becoming a Spartan and eventually part of a Ferret Team for ONI. The _Normandy_ had a HEV Bay for quick inserts, with the ability of putting a fully armed squad on the ground in less than ten minutes.

"You know, I actually wanted you on this mission. You're different from a lot of ONI operatives. You're a Spartan for one and you have actual combat experience. You and Alenko. I understand that there is some animosity between us, but that's because I don't trust ONI. I do trust you, as far fetched as that sounds," Anderson admitted. Shepard breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you sir. I know that ONI isn't liked much around here. To be frank, I don't like ONI much either, but they give you freedom, freedom you don't find anywhere else. Admiral Osman might be a spook, but she's a good one at that," Shepard said briskly. His mother didn't want him to join the UNSC Defense Forces, even though every single generation of Shepard dating back to the Rainforest Wars had served. His mother was actually still in the UNSC Navy, serving as captain for the UNSC _Marathon,_ an older _Marathon-_ class cruiser.

 _At least Rosa didn't join,_ he thought. His younger sister who was a xenobiologist currently on a dig in the Artemis Tao cluster. She studied the Protheans alongside her friend Doctor Liara T'Soni. Rosa Shepard only spoke highly of her.

"I understand that Shepard. That's why I wanted you on this mission. We need somebody much different from the Spartan IIs and IIIs. The other IVs don't have as advanced physical augmentations like you do. But you have history with the Council species, unlike most humans in UNSC space. You served alongside a krogan mercenary and a quarian Fleet Marine squad during one of your missions, is that correct?" Anderson asked and Shepard was shocked.

 _That mission was classified to the highest order._ He had been alone for that mission, having been sent by ONI to kill xenophobic terrorists planning on detonating a bio weapon on the colony of Sedora. Sedora was one of the few colonies that allowed aliens of all types (not just the primary Council races), and he teamed up with a krogan mercenary named Wrex and a quarian Marine named Kal Reegar, who had been sent to pull security for a quarian diplomatic team trying to convince the Sedora government to allow their fleet to discharge their drive cores in the system.

 _And after that mission, the Sedorians allowed them._

"I'm not going to ask how you know that, but yes. Urdnot Wrex, one of the toughest sons of bitches you'll ever meet and Kal Reegar, as foulmouthed as any human Marine."

"It's good. This mission...it'll bring humanity closer to the Council than ever before. And not everyone will like it. Especially some of the xenophobic bastards on the Security Council who think that the First Contact War is going to blow up again," Anderson huffed. "We're working with a _turian Spectre_ and they're worried? We can stay isolated and I'm glad Osman sees that. Hell, only the Navy seems to see that."

"I understand sir."

Anderson took a deep breath before looking at Shepard.

"Get your team ready Commander. We'll be at Eden Prime soon. That beacon is the key to future relations with the Council," Anderson said. "Get some rest as well. You're going to need it."

* * *

Lieutenant Kaiden Alenko was in the co-pilot seat of the _Normandy._ The helmsman of the _Normandy_ Lieutenant Jeff "Joker" Moreau was currently allowing the ship's AI, Conrad, taking over as they were currently in transition from the Arcturus Relay (through slipspace) to the Eden Prime one. Relay 212 was the direct window to Earth and has such, was protected by the UNSC Fifth Fleet, commanded by Admiral Steven Hackett.

Alenko was a rarity; a biotic _and_ a Spartan at that. He had been abducted by ONI following his exposure to element zero, studied and prodded at by scientists who were wondering what the hell it did to him. After realizing that he had "powers" he was sent to a camp where his biotic powers were honed. Over a hundred kids were a part of that camp. By the time they had "graduated" only half of them remained.

He had been eighteen when he enlisted in the UNSC Marine Corps. He had met Shepard, who was an experienced demolitions expert and engineer, and the two instantly became the closest of friends. They both joined the ODSTs and both became part of the same Ferret Team after becoming Spartans. The two were brothers; Alenko was a single child and even then, he had pushed away the other kids at Jump Zero.

"So as I was saying, the asari are just _plain weird._ I mean, they're blue and they look like us, but they're all women! I remember this one time when I was back on Reach..." Joker continued to regale in his tale of meeting an asari woman who helped "mend" his genetic disease. Joker had Vrolik syndrome, a rare genetic bone brittling disease that made it almost impossible for him to walk. Thanks to advanced UNSC medical technology, Joker's bones were much stronger but he was still medically bared from joining the infantry.

"Joker, I'm gonna call bullshit on that one," Kaiden countered. "I like asari too, but mind mending doesn't heal your bone problems. Maybe your other _bone_ problems, but not that kind."

"Whatever," Joker replied snarky. "Just because I've been with different women from different alien species..."

"Lieutenant Moreau, nothing in your service history says you have had fraternization with women from any alien species. In fact, there is only one instant where an alien woman reciprocated your sexual feelings. And that was a krogan female, whom you denied," a synthesized female voice said with no feeling. Kaiden laughed as Joker gave EDI the middle finger.

"Well, I've never been with an alien woman of any kind, if that makes you feel better," Kaiden offered and Joker grumbled something about _damn AI_ and their _intrusion onto private matters._

 _"_ So what made you decide to become a massive hulk of muscle and man?" Joker asked. Kaiden was nearly seven feet tall and weighed nearly three hundred pounds. He was a Spartan IV, though he was not nearly as strong as Shepard nor as fast. _Goddamn genetics._ Spartans were special but Shepard was special even for them. _Halsey sure knows to pick them._

"Followed Shepard. We were part of the same ODST team for three years and we joined around the same time. When the brass decided to offer Shepard the opportunity to become a Spartan, I just followed," Kaiden explained. _He's the brother I never had._

"Ah. Seems like Shepard is the type of man to follow," Joker agreed. "Remember hearing about Elysium. Were you there?"

 _The battle that made him a damn hero. No, I wasn't. And I regret it._

"No. I was suffering from a relapse in my biotics so I was on the UNSC _Song of the East_ when the batarians came. I was one of the first down there though, SOEIV, and helped drive the batarians off the planet," Kaiden said with some regret in his voice. _Could have helped if I wasn't inconvenienced by these damn powers._

 _"Oh._ Sorry if I'm bringing up anything bad," Joker apologized but Kaiden just waved him off. He was used to being second tier to Shepard. The man was simply the best of the best. _This must be what Fred-104 felt when being compared to the Master Chief._

 _"Sorry to interrupt sir, but we will be arriving in five minutes at the Eden Prime mass relay,"_ Conrad said to them. The AI was dressed as a flag officer of the Imperial Japanese Navy, though his hair and eyes were Caucasian. His donor had been a man by the name of Conrad Verner, a scientist who had written a dissertation in dark energy. The man was eventually killed when he got drunk at a bar on Ilium and attempted to pick a fight with the krogan bouncer.

Suffice to say, he was dead and buried on Earth.

"Alright, give me control once we exit. Damn UNSC doesn't use drive cores so it makes _that_ much harder to use when you're using standard UNSC engines. Luckily for us we got the stealth systems..." Joker mumbled. Kaiden was silent as the hum of FTL was around them. Slipspace was a beautiful thing, once you got used to the darkness and the silent hum of dark energy.

"Kaiden," EDI said to him. "Commander Shepard has sent orders for you to armor up and wait for him in the cargo bay."

 _It's almost time._

Kaiden excused himself from the mumbling Joker and walked down the CIC. Several bridge officers and enlisted crewman parted ways for the massive Spartan and he saw Lieutenant Commander Pressly, the navigation officer, hovering over the galaxy map. He entered the main elevator and took it down to the cargo bay where the technician Corporal Richard Jenkins was waiting for him.

"Ah Lieutenant Alenko sir!" the high energy Marine greeted him with a salute. "Over here! I got your armor ready for you."

The complete set of Mjolnir Generation 2 armor was ready for him. It was blue with black trimmings and a blue RESOLUTE visor was on his helmet. He had worn the armor for the past six months, doing solo missions while Shepard was on Reach preparing for whatever...this mission was.

He first placed on the armored boots, them locking into place with his under-suit. Second, came the leg pieces, latching onto both legs. Third came the torso piece, which powered the entire thing. Jenkins locked the armor into place and started to screw in bolts which connected it to the leg pieces. _Gotta get us one of those Brokkrs!_ Now, those were _fast._

The entire sequence took five minutes and Jenkins was quicker than most Marine technicians. With a handy salute, Jenkins soon disappeared behind the Cougar. The HEV Bay was situated nearby, carrying a dozen SOEIV pods that could carry Spartans and ODSTs down to the surface. _More like fall to the surface,_ Alenko thought remembering his first combat drop.

Shepard was already there, securing his BR85HB into the pod along with a Hydra MLS. On his hip was a M6H2 Magnum with a silencer attached. Alenko had already outfitted his pod with his weapons; a MA6D Assault Rifle along with a M6H2 as well. His main contribution to the two was the use of biotics. Shepard was the tech and heavy support guy; Alenko was the biotics.

"So what's this mysterious mission I've been hearing about?" Alenko asked casually and Shepard looked over, his face covered with his helmet.

"We're to secure a Prothean beacon for extraction to the Citadel. Meeting up with a Council Spectre."

 _A Spectre?_ Those guys were the spooks, basically like ONI but with much broader authority and power in Council space. They were just as good as any ONI agent and a couple have fought Spartan IIs on their own and _survived._

As the _Normandy_ exited slipspace, the sound of _General quarters_ was heard throughout the ship and the _Normandy_ soon disappeared from sight.

Something was over Eden Prime.

And it wasn't human.

* * *

 **What is this and why I am not working on Fallout? Well blame me for seeing Halo Wars 2.**


	2. Chapter 2

_"For the first time in our history, we are under attack by an alien force. Humanity has never faced a task such as this. Our worlds are in danger, our families, our homes. We shall go on! We will fight them in the unforgiving vacuum of space, we will fight them in the asteroid belts and gas giants, we will fight them on the ground, in the unforgiving deserts, the lush forests, the cities, the villages, the mountains. We will never surrender! We will fight on, for our sovereignty and humanity! We will defend our worlds, no matter what the cost."_

President Xi Biao, _Speech to the UEG Senate, "Declaration of War Against the Turian Hierarchy" November 2nd, 2525_

* * *

"Situation report!" Captain Anderson yelled as he entered the bridge. Officers and enlisted were running towards their station as the call of general quarters was sounding throughout the ship and the ship's stealth drives were implemented.

"I've got no communications from the fleet in orbit and we can't through to the planet," the communications officer, William Keyes told him. _This is frustrating._

"Keep trying to raise them. Sensors, what's going on? We're supposed to have full contact with the Eden Prime defense fleet!" he said briskly and the sensors officer turned to him with a huff.

"I've got no UNSC signs coming anywhere in orbit. Nothing...can't run a full scan without giving up our position sir," the sensors officer, Lieutenant Anita Cole relayed to him with an air of annoyance. _Goddamn it._

It was supposed to be a simple mission; get the beacon and deliver it to the Citadel along with the Spectre. But with the fleet in orbit not responding and not knowing the situation...they were going to have take a closer look. The _Normandy's_ stealth drives could keep them protected from enemy sensors and scanners for an hour at most. _An hour is all we need._

"Joker, take us to the planet as fast as you can," he ordered. "And as silently as you can."

"Aye aye sir," Joker acknowledged and the _Normandy_ slowly but surely diverted power from the stealth systems to their engines heading straight for Eden Prime.

Anderson had been in sticky situations before. After all he had not always been a naval officer nor had he always served on a navy ship. He was Navy through and through but he had first fought against aliens on the colony of Dracos III as a young enlisted crewman on a Orbital Defense Platform. The platform had been boarded by turian Blackwatch and nearly destroyed it had not been for him and a Spartan II. _Good old Master Chief._

As the _Normandy_ made its way towards the planet, his thoughts turned dark. What was making his mission even more difficult? _Every time. Every time I'm assigned with ONI it makes the job ten times harder._ He should have never accepted the command of the _Normandy._

 _Wasn't the In Amber Clad enough? Might have been an older ship, but it wasn't part of ONI?_ Admiral Miranda Keyes probably didn't like anybody but her commanding the old ship for whatever reason and when he was offered command of the _Normandy..._ he took it as any self-respecting captain would.

"Sir, we've gotten close enough to where I can do visual scans... _my god,"_ Lieutenant Anita informed him. "Sir...the entire fleet...is destroyed. Every single last ship."

 _What?_

"Visualize it," he ordered and soon a hologram of the planet was apparent with the twelve ships assigned to Eden Prime...destroyed. _One cruiser, four destroyers, and seven frigates. Destroyed by what?_

The floating debris of what had been the UNSC ships was intermixed with something else. The ships were smaller than the UNSC and the rubble they left behind was much more numerous. At least forty of them were floating hulls, but they were not UNSC or Council in design. _Nor Terminus,_ Anderson noted. They were elegant, simple, and weren't colored the gray scheme the UNSC used on their warships.

"That's the UNSC _Song of the East_ sir," the AI Conrad soon appeared. "And those are UNSC _Iroquois-_ class destroyers. All of these are older ships. Why would HIGHCOM assign older ships to protect one of the most hotly contested regions?"

 _Strange indeed._

"Sir, I've gotten something! Don't know how but I picked something up on UNSC frequency. Transmission coming from Eden Prime sir," Lieutenant William said excitedly.

"Put it through!"

The hologram was soon replaced by a screen, from what seemed to be helmet cam footage. Rifle fire was heard and soon the helmet cam focused on a female UNSC marine dressed in olive green armor firing at something, before being hit in the shoulder.

"Get down!" she commanded and the helmet cam lowered, still swaying. More marines were seen, retreating and firing at an unknown threat. Whoever was filming was still on the ground, being pushed there by a UNSC officer.

"We are under attack! Unknown contacts came and blew the fucking fleet up! Heavy casualties, I repeat heavy casualties! We can't evacuate the dig site! I'm sending Williams and her squad to protect the dig site but the city is under attack! Need reinforcements n-" and the officer was cut off as a round penetrated his kinetic barriers and his helmet and he slumped dead. The helmet cam swung to the left, filming additional marines firing back when they all paused and looked in fear and astonishment at something.

It was massive. At least two kilometers _tall_ and as big as any ship in the UNSC Navy. It looked liked a squid, with six tendrons extending from the main body. Red electricity sizzled from each of the tendrons... _no way._

That thing was powerful enough to land on a planet and it used _mass effect fields_ to do so. No ship that used element zero of that size was ever to do so. _My God._

The helmet cam feed then ceased.

The bridge crew was silent as they all looked at each other with fear in their eyes and tension was thick in the atmosphere. _What is this thing?_

"There's nothing else sir. No comm traffic...nothing. Can trace the origin though. Near the spaceport, where the Prothean dig site is. However, that's where _that thing is,"_ Lieutenant William said soberly.

 _That beacon is still priority. And the dig team. And the Spectre._

"Joker, prep for a hot drop. Tell Commander Shepard and Lieutenant Alenko to prepare for an orbital insertion and secure that beacon and the dig team. In addition, get our marines on standby to evacuate any survivors," he ordered. "The rest of us are going to find out exactly what happened in orbit. Engineer Adams, ensure our power is diverted towards the stealth drive. Navigator Pressly, get us on a path towards the wreckage."

 _And whatever happens...let God protect us._ Anderson crossed himself even though he hadn't been to church in over a decade.

And then his mind drifted to that ship. _What kind of ship is that?_

* * *

"Commander, you've got new orders from the captain. We're going to insert you and Alenko via HEV in order to secure that beacon and the dig team. Marines will be on standby for additional support if needed," Joker said to Shepard as he entered the HEV bay once more. "After that...well who knows."

 _Well as the Navy always say, the only easy day was yesterday._ Shepard secured himself in his pod, preparing for the drop. His HUD showed his status; energy shields were fully charged, his riot shield tactical package was ready, along with his camouflage system. Alenko was soon apparently ready as his light flickered green. Shepard flickered green as well. _It's go time._

 _"Approaching the drop point,"_ Joker said and Shepard was gripped by excitement and apprehension. No matter how many times he did it, orbital drops always made him nervous and giddy.

"Commander, your heartbeat is increasing. Is something wrong?" EDI asked.

"Just apprehension EDI. Nothing more," he assured the AI. EDI reminded him of another AI that had assisted another team similar to his almost thirty years ago. _Kilo-Five. Wonder if they are still active._

"Apprehension is a human feeling I still need to conduct further research on. I am only feeling...excitement?" EDI questioned herself. "More data is needed."

Shepard laughed, despite himself.

"Ready Commander?"

"Ready as I'll ever be. Which is never."

" _Dropping in five, four, three, two, one."_

The SOEIV accelerated out of the HEV bay, heading straight for the planet's surface.

The SOEIV. It was a standard part of the UNSC's strategy of rapid assault and consolidation. Usually when the UNSC assaulted a planet it dropped hundreds of SOEIVs in order to establish a forward base before airlifting heavy armor and other units to support them. It was how the UNSC took back Harvest from the turians in the First Contact War.

The Council had no equivalent for mass use, though Shepard was sure they had prototypes. But until they figured how to mass produce them and find soldiers crazy enough to land in death capsules, they were of limited use to them.

The SOEIV entered through atmosphere, the ceramic skin that had protected human ships for hundreds of years starting to break away. Burning a bright orange, it started to peel skin off as it raced through the clouds. _Fucking hell._ It was starting to get warm as it always did, making Shepard vaguely uncomfortable. When he was an ODST, this made him extremely uncomfortable but now it didn't due to his armor.

The SOEIV then started rapidly descending into the planet, the inside of the pod heating up to nearly a hundred degrees. Thanks to the interior cooling system of his armor, he barely felt anything besides a strange vague feeling of heat surrounding him. The pod's upper exterior panels then disengaged like a drag chute, slowing their descent considerably. Shepard's heartbeat accelerated once more, going from eighty beats to nearly a hundred in a span of ten seconds.

Just as the pod was about a hundred meters from slamming into the planet's surface, braking rockets were engaged and the pod's momentum was reduced. Suddenly, Shepard felt the pod impact and land harshly on the planet's surface. Shaking his head from the pain that entered his body through entering the world's atmosphere, he looked up, seeing the familiar gas explosive removal bolt. Pulling it, the door to the SOEIV flew open, slamming into the side of a valley wall. He exited his pod, stripping it of his weapons and ammunition.

"Can we possibly make more any more noise?" EDI asked which Shepard then pretended to glare at her from inside his helmet. "That was a joke."

Alenko was nearby, his IFF broadcasting.

His visor polarized protecting him from the hot Eden Prime sun. The landscape was a deep green lush, with widespread beauty and wonders. A waterfall fell nearby, water sparkling. It was paradise, something he hadn't seen in years. Reach was beautiful but it was always massively urbanized, with jutting skyscrapers and millions upon millions of vehicles. Eden Prime was nothing like that.

He could see faint traces of anti-aircraft fire coming from the main city, Atlas, where 2.1 million humans lived. He tried to raise anybody on a UNSC frequency, but was unable to. _Jammed._

The 212th Marine Division was assigned to garrison Atlas and the surrounding area. The spaceport was located at the outskirts of Atlas, only accessible through a monorail line. He was sure that there were survivors from the 212th, but cut off from their main units in Atlas, whoever was left was on their own.

"Commander, I've found a path towards the dig site. It's just outside of the spaceport. If we cut through here we can get there in less than ten minutes," Alenko relayed to him and Shepard nodded.

"Alright, let's go. Remember that beacon is our top priority, but if we find survivors, we'll radio the _Normandy._ Hopefully we can get through to it."

Grass parting underneath their feet, the two Spartans moved with a purpose. The backdrop of the mountains was refreshing to see despite the flames and smoke visible on the horizon. _Hopefully the 212th can hold them._

"Shepard, I think I have something on the motion tracker. It was faint but I had something," Kaiden said over the radio. He was on point, six meters ahead of Shepard scanning the area with his rifle. Shepard knew that Kaiden was a cautious man, years of being a Spartan and a part of ONI had taught him to always err on the side of caution.

Which was why he lived when six drones of unknown origin dashed forward, mass accelerator rounds impacting into Kaiden.

A Spartan's armor was meant to balance both flexibility and strength. The HRUNTING Mark III Cyclops, the predecessor to the Mjolnir project and still in use by some Marine units, was much too heavy, too slow, and too exposed to be used on a wide scale by infantry. So when those mass accelerator rounds tore into Kaiden's shields, he was lucky to be alive.

Kaiden dropped behind a large and convenient rock, as his shields started to recharge. Shepard charged forward, aiming at the lead drone and fired a burst from his BR85HB. The BR85HB fired a 9.5 x 40mm round that used a special propellant to achieve much higher muzzle velocity than previous UNSC weapons, allowing it to shred and destroy armor and barriers with ease (due to it also being semi-armor piercing.) The three round burst tore into the drone, punching through the thin armor it had, and causing it to spin out of control and slam into the ground.

"Kaiden!" Shepard yelled with concern as he dropped behind a tree. "Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine Commander!" Kaiden assured him, his shields finally recharged fully. "Let's just deal with these damn things!"

Rifle fire barked from the two of them, aimed at taking down the drones who were harassing them. They fell two of them, but the drones continued to press forward, pinning them down. But they were Spartans! No drones would stop them.

The last of the drones fell to the ground, sputtering their death mews. Shepard shouldered his rifle and breathed. This was the firs time he had been in contact with this kind of drone. _Fell Kaiden's shields by almost thirty percent with the first volley of fire._ Whoever made them was _good_ at making tech. He knelt down to observe one of the drones with a closer eye.

"Huh. Never seen this design before," he commented as Kaiden came near him. He took one of the drones into his hand. It was divided into two parts, a flat and wide disk with a visor-like front. Attached to it was a gun via tubes and wires. It was a dark purple and it looked fearsome though fragile. But it was _advanced._ That he could tell and Shepard theorized that it was powered by mass effect fields, which was why they emitted a blue essence when they flew.

"Any idea where it came from Commander?" Kaiden asked him as he picked one of them up to get a closer look. "Not UNSC design nor Council. Terminus maybe?"

"No, this tech is more advanced than any type of Terminus crap," Shepard responded with confidence. "Definitely not UNSC. We'll have to figure it out. For now, let's focus on the objective."

The two continued their journey towards the spaceport, on the lookout for any more of these mysterious drones. Their road led them down a river ravine that would take them straight on to their destination. Shepard kept a close watch on his motion tracker for any sign of enemies and was relieved that they hadn't run into anybody yet.

The forest greeted them.

* * *

All Ashley could do was run.

The death of her squad, the failure to protect the beacon were at the back of her mind as the geth drones chased her. Her M6 magnum was in her right hand as she sprinted, leaping over a fallen log and dashed as fast as she could. The mass accelerator rounds sailed over her and embedded themselves into rocks and unlucky wildlife, or splashed against the trees of the tree line she hoped to lose them in.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. Her squad...her _brothers and sisters_ who had fought with her for years had been killed in the geth attack. Their weapons were a match for theirs, their kinetic barriers equal or even _better_ than UNSC tech. She just ran and ran.

 _You're a Williams. Running is in your blood,_ she could hear her commanding officer say now, but he was dead, courtesy of a mass accelerator round from a geth sniper. She herself was still shaken by a grenade that had shredded her barriers and almost killed her. The Spectre who had been accompanying the dig team had disappeared into the hills for whatever reason.

 _You're alone,_ she realized as she broke through foliage, the recon drones mass effect fields humming as they continued to to pursue her. She was distracted and then fell down on a slight rise and the geth drones fired, rounds falling near her. She quickly turned on her back and opened up with her magnum, hitting one drone and sending it spinning in a daze. The other drone was then rewarded with four 12.7mm semi-armor piercing high explosive rounds in its sternum, causing it to explode in a fiery show of sparks.

She sighed with relief. But her troubles weren't over. A squad of geth troopers had been right behind the recon drones, their pulse rifles aimed straight at her. She scrambled to her feet and spotted a rock in the uncanny valley she found herself in. She sprinted towards it and drew her assault rifle.

The standard issued MA6D Individual Combat Weapon System had not changed from its original design. A bullpup, it was manufactured by Misriah Armory and fired a 7.62mm round which could break through kinetic barriers. Reliable, rugged, and easy to learn how to use, the MA6D was a good choice for a standard issued assault rifle.

Ashley Williams, squad leader and granddaughter of the man who lost Harvest, stood and waited for her death.

She would do her grandfather proud.

 _And I will not run._

* * *

Commander Shepard walked out of the forest with an eerie calm, having just overloaded a drone's shields and fried it. He placed his battle rifle on his back and drew the Hydra MLS.

The Hydra MLS fired micro-missiles that locked onto distant targets. Seeing how this single marine, desperately awaiting the advancing robotic constructs, was behind a rock, he could fire it safely without hurting her. He locked onto one of the flashlight heads of the robots and pulled the trigger twice.

The micro-missiles sailed through the air and over the marine's head, heading straight for the group of robots that were advancing on her. They detonated, shredding the robots apart. One of them survived however and walked forward, raising its weapon. Alenko ended the robot with a single shot to the head.

Shepard breathed a sigh of relief, as he holstered the weapon. The marine looked surprised, her body fixated on the destroyed robots that had been attacking her just seconds before. She then looked at her rescuers. And she screamed.

" _Spartans?"_


End file.
